Ultra-wideband method and apparatus

ABSTRACT

An ultra-wideband (“UWB”) communication system comprising a transmitter and a receiver. In one embodiment, the symbol mapper circuit in the transmitter is adapted, in a first mode, to develop symbols having the number of pulses as currently defined in the 4z Standard; and, in a second mode, to develop symbols having fewer pulses than as currently defined in the 4z Standard. In an optional third mode, each data bit is mapped to a single pulse.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/789,180, filed Feb. 12, 2020, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,239,882, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 62/804,723, filed 12 Feb. 2019 (“Parent Provisional”), the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

This application claims priority to the Parent Provisional, and hereby claims benefit of the filing date thereof pursuant to 37 CFR § 1.78(a)(4).

The subject matter of this Application is related to the following issued patents:

-   U.S. Pat. No. 7,636,397, issued 22 Dec. 2009 (“First Related     Patent”); -   U.S. Pat. No. 8,358,709, issued 22 Jan. 2013 (“Second Related     Patent”); -   U.S. Pat. No. 8,437,432, issued 7 May 2013 (“Third Related Patent”);

The subject matter of this Application is related to the following published articles, copies of which are submitted herewith:

-   Khan, Waqas Ali, et. al, “High Level Modeling of an Ultra Wide-Band     Baseband Transmitter in MATLAB”, 2009 International Conference on     Emerging Technologies, 2009 (“First Related Article”); and -   Verso, B., “HRP UWB PHY enhanced mode converged consensus, IEEE     Standards Association—Documents,” [online], 2018, accessed: 10 Feb.     2020, Available from: http://www.ieee802.org/15/pub/TG4z.html     (“Second Related Article”).

The subject matter of this Application is also related to the following:

-   IEEE 802.15.4z, “Enhanced Ultra Wide-Band (UWB) Physical Layers     (PHYs) and Associated Ranging Techniques”, 2020 (“4z Standard”).

The subject matter of the Parent Provisional, the First, Second and Third Related patents, the First and Second Related Articles, and the 4z Standard, each in its entirety, is expressly incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to ultra-wideband communication systems, and, in particular, to an improved, packet-based ultra-wideband method and apparatus having a higher data transmission rate.

2. Description of the Related Art

In general, in the descriptions that follow, I will italicize the first occurrence of each special term of art which should be familiar to those skilled in the art of ultra-wideband (“UWB”) communication systems. In addition, when I first introduce a term that I believe to be new or that I will use in a context that I believe to be new, I will bold the term and provide the definition that I intend to apply to that term. In addition, throughout this description, I will sometimes use the terms assert and negate when referring to the rendering of a signal, signal flag, status bit, or similar apparatus into its logically true or logically false state, respectively, and the term toggle to indicate the logical inversion of a signal from one logical state to the other. Alternatively, I may refer to the mutually exclusive boolean states as logic_0 and logic_1. Of course, as is well known, consistent system operation can be obtained by reversing the logic sense of all such signals, such that signals described herein as logically true become logically false and vice versa. Furthermore, it is of no relevance in such systems which specific voltage levels are selected to represent each of the logic states.

In accordance with the 4z Standard, data to be transmitted are first encoded into a stream of symbols. A systematic convolutional encoder then convolutionally encodes the bits comprising each symbol. See, e.g., FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. A symbol mapper then maps each coded bit into a frame comprising a selected number of chips. Each chip comprises either a pulse of energy or a chip-period of silence. In accordance with the frame, pulses are grouped to form bursts, with each burst being followed by a guard interval comprising one or more silent periods. See, Second Related Article. In accordance with this scheme, the data transmission rate for a given mode is related to the total number of chips in the frame and the time duration of each chip. Specifically, a symbol is transmitted within a symbol frame T_(dsym), where the symbol frame T_(dsym) includes a number of burst periods T_(burst), each of which is followed by a Guard Interval. Each one of the burst periods T_(burst) and each one of the Guard Intervals includes the same number of chip periods T_(chip). For example, each burst period T_(burst) and each Guard Interval may include four chip periods T_(chip), however, the 4z standard also details situations in which more chip periods T_(chip) are included in each burst period T_(burst) and each Guard Interval. In the burst periods T_(burst), a pulse is either sent or skipped in each chip period T_(chip), where a sent pulse corresponds to a one and a skipped pulse corresponds to a zero. No pulses are sent during each Guard Interval, which follows each burst period T_(burst). The pulses sent during each burst period T_(burst) are determined by the symbol mapper. Table 1 shows an exemplary mapping of convolutionally encoded bits from the convolutional encoder shown in FIG. 2 to the pulses sent in each burst frame T_(burst):

TABLE 1 G₀ G₁ First burst Second burst 0 0 0000 0000 1 0 1111 0000 0 1 0000 1111 1 1 1111 1111 As shown in Table 1, for every 2 bits of encoded data (G₀ and G₁), eight active chip periods T_(chip) (chip periods within burst frames T_(burst)) are used and eight inactive chip periods T_(chip) (chip periods within Guard Intervals) are used, for a total of sixteen chip periods T_(chip) within the symbol frame T_(dsym). As discussed above, the data transmission rate is based on the number of chip periods T_(chip) in the symbol frame T_(dsym) and the time duration of each of the chip periods T_(chip).

In coding theory, puncturing is the process of removing some of the parity bits after encoding with an error-correction code, see, e.g., the First Related Article. It has recently been proposed to apply this process to a standard K=7 convolutional encoder to increase the effective bit rate from 55 Mbps to 31.2 Mbps. A similar puncturing scheme could be used with the K=3 convolutional encoder to get a 48 Mbps mode. Although puncturing does increases the bit rate, the resulting loss in coding gain is large.

What is needed is a improved method and apparatus for use in an UWB communication system for a higher data transmission rate. In particular, I submit that such a method and apparatus should provide performance generally comparable to the best prior art techniques but more efficiently than known implementations of such prior art techniques.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one embodiment of my invention, I provide a method for transmitting data at much faster rates than currently defined in the 4z Standard.

In one other embodiment, I provide an UWB communication system comprising a symbol mapper configured to perform my method.

The methods of my invention may be embodied in non-transitory computer readable code on a suitable computer readable medium such that when a processor executes the computer readable code, the processor executes the respective method.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

My invention may be more fully understood by a description of certain preferred embodiments in conjunction with the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates, in block diagram form, an UWB communication system adapted to practice my method;

FIG. 2 illustrates, in block diagram form, the K=3 systematic convolutional encoder set forth in the 4z Standard;

FIG. 3 illustrates, in block diagram form, the K=7 systematic convolutional encoder set forth in the 4z Standard;

FIG. 4 illustrates, in flow diagram form, one embodiment of my method; and

FIG. 5 illustrates, in chart form, simulation results of range versus packet error rate (“PER”) in an additive-white-Gaussian-Noise (“AWGN”) channel for some embodiments of my method; and

FIG. 6 illustrates, in chart form, simulation results of range versus PER in a IEEE 802.15.4a CM1 multipath channel for some embodiments of my method.

In the drawings, similar elements will be similarly numbered whenever possible. However, this practice is simply for convenience of reference and to avoid unnecessary proliferation of numbers, and is not intended to imply or suggest that my invention requires identity in either function or structure in the several embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Illustrated in FIG. 1 is a UWB communication system 10 comprising a UWB transmitter 12 and a UWB receiver 14. In the system 10, n data bits are received for transmission: wherein n is a selected power of 2 greater than 1 and less than or equal to m; and wherein m is greater than 1. For each data bit, a respective symbol is developed by a conventional systematic convolutional encoder 16. In a first mode of operation, my improved symbol mapper 18 is configured to map each symbol to m pulses of a packet. See, e.g., 4z Standard. In a second mode of operation, my improved symbol mapper 18 is configured to map each symbol to (m÷n) pulses of the packet. In one embodiment, I select n from the sequence [2, 4, 8], but those skilled in this art will recognize that other powers are possible. FIG. 4 is a flowchart outlining steps of a method according to one embodiment. Referring to block 30, a first step includes developing a convolutionally encoded symbol. Decision block 32 includes selection of a first mode of operation according to block 34 or a second mode of operation according to block 36. Block 34, corresponding to the first mode of operation, includes mapping each symbol to m chips of the frame. Block 36, corresponding to the second mode of operation, includes mapping each symbol to m÷n chips of the frame.

By way of example, let us first consider the following examples in which n is selected to be 2:

-   -   1.0 Using the 4z Standard K=3 encoder (“K3_Reference”, FIG. 2)         to develop symbols at a rate of 27.2 Mbps, my symbol mapper 18         is configured to: map G0 to 4 pulses; insert 4 silent chips; map         G1 to 4 pulses; and insert 4 additional silent chips.     -   1.1 Using the K3_Reference to develop symbols at a rate of 54.5         Mbps, my symbol mapper 18 is configured to: map G0 to only 2         pulses; map G1 to only 2 pulses; and insert 4 silent chips.     -   2.0 Using the 4z Standard K=7 encoder (“K7_Reference”, FIG. 3)         to develop symbols at a rate of 31.2 Mbps, my symbol mapper 18         is configured to: map G0 to 4 pulses; insert 4 silent chips; map         G1 to 4 pulses; and insert 4 additional silent chips.     -   2.1 Using the K7 Reference to develop symbols at a rate of 62.4         Mbps, my symbol mapper 18 is configured to: map G0 to only 2         pulses; map G1 to only 2 pulses; and insert 4 silent chips.

Now, let us consider the following examples in which n is selected to be 4:

-   -   1.2. Using the K3_Reference to develop symbols at a rate of 27.2         Mbps, my symbol mapper 18 is configured to: map G0 to only 1         pulse; map G1 to only 1 pulse; and insert only 2 silent chips.         The resulting symbol rate will be 109 Mbps.     -   2.2. Using the K7 Reference to develop symbols at a rate of 31.2         Mbps, my symbol mapper 18 is configured to: map G0 to only 1         pulse; map G1 to only 1 pulse; and insert only 2 silent chips.         The resulting symbol rate will be 125 Mbps.

Let us now consider the following examples in which n is selected to be 8:

-   -   1.3. Using the K3_Reference to develop symbols at a rate of 27.2         Mbps, my symbol mapper 18 is configured to: map G0 to only 1         pulse; map G1 to only 1 pulse; and insert no silent chips. The         resulting symbol rate will be 218 Mbps.     -   2.3. Using the K7_Reference to develop symbols at a rate of 31.2         Mbps, my symbol mapper 18 is configured to: map G0 to only 1         pulse; map G1 to only 1 pulse; and insert no silent chips. The         resulting symbol rate will be 250 Mbps.

Finally, let us consider the following example in which n is selected to be 8, and I configure my transmitter 12 so as, selectively, to bypass the convolutional encoder 16:

-   -   3.1. By bypassing both the K3_Reference and the K7_Reference, my         symbol mapper 18 can easily be configured to map an input data         bit, DO, to only 1 pulse, with no silent chips; the resulting         symbol rate will be 436 Mbps.

I have developed and tested MATLAB simulation models to determine the estimated performance of each of these embodiments, 1.1-1.3 and 2.1-2.3. As can be seen in FIG. 5 performance appears to me to be reasonable for all of these embodiments when operating in a channel that is subject to AWGN. In part, my invention avoids the complexity, in both the transmitter 12 and the receiver 14, that the proposed puncturing schemes will introduce. Further, I can anticipate that my invention will result in at least 2.4 dB better performance. For example, whereas power per-bit is approximately the same in both schemes, puncturing reduces power-per-bit by approximately 42%, whereas my invention reduces power-per-bit by 50%. Further, as I have noted above, puncturing loses almost of the resulting coding gain.

As can be seen in FIG. 6, multipath performance also appears to me to be reasonable for all of these embodiments. By way of contrast, I note that performance hits an error floor for many of the known and proposed schemes: 0.1% for the punctured scheme, 1% for the known 108 Mbps scheme; I anticipate that this trend will continue and will be worse for the proposed 216 Mbps and 435 Mbps schemes; however, short channels with little or no multipath should still be able to use these very high bit rates. Further, using my invention appears to me to offer significantly better performance. For example, from the simulation results shown in FIG. 5, my 54.4 Mbps embodiment appears to be 5.2 dB better (˜twice the distance) than the proposed 54.6 Mbps punctured scheme at 1% PER in a multipath channel.

I submit that, while increasing the symbol rate reduces the processing gain, my approach is a better way to increase the bit rate, at least in part because the coding gain does not decrease. As can be seen from the simulation results summarized in my Parent Provisional, my higher symbol rate approach performs better than the puncturing scheme, for approximately the same bit rate. For example, from the simulation results shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, I expect that my invention, configured to operate in a 108 Mbps mode, will achieve a very useful range of 14 m in a multipath channel for a 2% PER, and an excellent 36 meters in an AWGN channel at 1% PER.

One mode in the 4z Standard has a convolutional encoder which convolutionally encodes an input data bit to give 2 coded data bits and maps the 2 coded bits to 8 pulses in a symbol to achieve 27.2 Mbps. In accordance with my invention, I can double the rate to 54.4 Mbps, by simply encoding 2 input bits to 2 pairs of coded bits, and mapping each pair onto (8 divided by 2)=4 pulses. This can be generalised by making the 2 be any power of 2 greater than 1 (which we can call n). The 8 pulses can be any number of pulses, call it m pulses, if m is a multiple of n.

Although I have described my invention in the context of particular embodiments, one of ordinary skill in this art will readily realize that many modifications may be made in such embodiments to adapt either to specific implementations. Further, the several elements described above may be adapted so as to be operable under either hardware or software control or some combination thereof, as is known in this art. Alternatively, the several methods of my invention as disclosed herein in the context of special purpose receiver apparatus may be embodied in computer readable code on a suitable non-transitory computer readable medium such that when a general or special purpose computer processor executes the computer readable code, the processor executes the respective method.

Thus it is apparent that I have provided an improved UWB method and apparatus having a higher data transmission rate. Although I have so far disclosed my invention only in the context of a packet-based UWB communication system, I appreciate that my invention is broadly applicable to other types of wireless communication systems, whether packed-based or otherwise, that perform channel sounding. Further, I submit that my invention provides performance generally comparable to the best prior art techniques but more efficiently than known implementations of such prior art techniques. 

What I claim is:
 1. A method for use in an ultra-wideband (UWB) transmitter, the method comprising the steps of: receiving n data bits; wherein n is a selected power of 2 greater than 1 and less than or equal to m; and wherein m is greater than 1; developing for each data bit a respective convolutionally encoded symbol; and mapping the symbol to m pulses of a packet; characterized in that the symbol is selectively mapped to (m÷n) pulses of the packet.
 2. The method of claim 1 wherein n is a selected one of 2, 4 and
 8. 3. The method of claim 1 further characterized in that each data bit is selectively mapped to a single pulse of the packet.
 4. A symbol mapping circuit configured to perform the method of claim
 1. 5. An UWB transmitter comprising a symbol mapping circuit according to claim
 4. 6. An UWB transceiver comprising a wireless receiver according to claim
 5. 7. An UWB communication system comprising a wireless transceiver according to claim
 6. 8. A non-transitory computer readable medium including executable instructions which, when executed in an UWB communication system, causes the system to perform the steps of a method according to claim
 1. 9. A method for use in an ultra-wideband (UWB) transmitter, the method comprising the steps of: receiving n data bits; wherein n is a selected power of 2 greater than 1 and less than or equal to m; and wherein m is greater than 1; developing for each data bit a respective convolutionally encoded symbol; in a selected first mode of operation, mapping the symbol to m pulses of a packet; and in a selected second mode of operation different from the first mode of operation, mapping the symbol to (m÷n) pulses of the packet.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein n is a selected one of 2, 4 and
 8. 11. The method of claim 9 wherein: in a selected third mode of operation different from the first and second modes of operation, mapping each data bit to a respective pulse of the packet
 12. A symbol mapping circuit configured to perform the method of claim
 9. 13. An UWB transmitter comprising a symbol mapping circuit according to claim
 12. 14. An UWB transceiver comprising a wireless receiver according to claim
 13. 15. An UWB communication system comprising a wireless transceiver according to claim
 14. 16. A non-transitory computer readable medium including executable instructions which, when executed in an UWB communication system, causes the system to perform the steps of a method according to claim
 9. 